Patent details how Google Glass might look on a different frame

A newly published patent is giving us one of the more detailed looks into Google’s Project Glass to date. The filing comes a day after Google opened applications for their Glass Explorer program to members of the general public. Shown among the pages of the document are detailed illustrations of the Glass headset we have become familiar with. Also included is a look at what the concept might look like when mounted in a more traditional set of glasses.

For the technically inclined, the patent gives a great overview of how Glass operates, detailing the process of projecting the headset’s UI, keeping it consistent within the field of vision, and even how the device can be used for augmented reality applications. There is even talk of a display method that would project an overlay directly onto a person’s retina.

With all the hype Google has been pumping lately, you would think the futuristic headset would be rolling off the production line soon, but we’re far from seeing Glass in the real world, and I suspect even farther from seeing it built into traditional eyeglasses (side note: wouldn’t it be nice if Google sold a kit that could turn any pair of glasses into a Project Glass device?).